Third World Destiny
by xxEmilyy
Summary: When Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey fall in love, challenges arise and attempt the complicate their relationship. New relationships begin and old friendships are challenged.
1. Chapter 1

_I have seen pain  
I have felt the sorrow of the many  
When the day is over  
How do we sleep?_

_It is with you that these feelings fade  
I long for you to hold me  
When the dawn arrives you disappear  
Gently into the night_

...

Anastasia Steel rose curtsied as she concluded her reading of her latest poem. She was rewarded with the snaps and applause of the small crowd that sat in the dark, sipping their alcoholic beverages with their friends or their dates. No matter why the people showed up, Anastasia felt like a star in the making, having the opportunity to share her passion with the locals of Seattle, Washington.

...

It was the spring of 1947, following the chaos of World War II. Everyone was still in shock over the whole thing and the economy had a lot of damage to cover, but it was never a big issue with twenty-one-year-old Anastasia Steele as she sold some items to gypsies who were willing to pay for such unnecessary things. No matter, she kept her head high, her back straight, and she continued to write her poems, hoping the write person would come along and notice her efforts and her intense love for writing.

Ever since she could read and write, Anastasia has wanted to express her feelings on paper and share with anyone who was willing to listen. Of course, who would listen to a nine-year-old girl talk about something she knew nothing about? However, Anastasia knew quite a bit about divorce and tragedy to develop enough feelings to write them down. Her birth father died in an auto-mobile accident in 1934, and her mother had through many divorces until now. The man she was with now made her happy and Anastasia loved him, although not nearly as much as she loved her previous step-father, Ray. Ray was the father figure she had craved after her father's accident and Ray seemed to be the only one who could give that to her, no matter how weird it made him feel.

Tonight was Anastasia's most recent poetry reading. She didn't receive the sort of feedback she was hoping for (a standing ovation) but it was enough that people were listening to her. Before she left the stage, a young woman had asked her who the poem was meant for and all Anastasia could say was, "someone special", but in truth, the poem was meant for no one in particular. Yet. Anastasia took her leave into the clear, cool night of April and made her way to the pub she was meeting her old childhood friend, Elliot Grey, for a drink. Since he couldn't get away from an engagement tonight, he promised Anastasia that he would buy her as many drinks as her tiny body could handle. Of course she agreed.

The walk to the bar is quiet since it was after eleven and the children were asleep in their warm beds while dozens of adults were out enjoying a night on the town. The only background sounds Anastasia has are the _click-clack _of her shoes as she walked down the street towards _Fifty's_. When she arrived, the stepped inside and was welcomed with the aroma of tobacco and the smell of bourbon. Men were chugging back their rums with their women, but it was nothing new around her. The atmosphere was friendly and contempt - just the way Anastasia liked it.

Moving through the thin crowd of drunks, Anastasia finally located her friend at the bar with a younger woman who was laughing and hanging on to his every word. He looked like he was having a good time and started to wonder if she should interrupt. But then she remembered the drinks he owed her since this must have been the "engagement" he couldn't get away from. She walked up behind him and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

Elliot turns and brightens when he sees his old friend. "Ana!" he cheers and pulls her in for a hug. "My old friend, how are you?" he asks, completely forgetting the other woman. His golden hair was still the same and his eyes were still a beautiful blue.

"I'm well, thank you," Anastasia said. She held up a folded piece of paper."

Elliot's eyes widened and his smile grew. "How was your poetry reading?"

Anastasia shrugged her shoulders. "Good, but not what I was hoping..." She was about to continue when Elliot motioned for her to sit down with him. She did without hesitation. The woman Elliot had been speaking to seems to have disappeared.

Elliot made their first drink order and returned his attention to Anastasia. "What were you hoping for? A standing ovation?"

Anastasia was amazed at how well Elliot knew what she was thinking. She nodded shyly.

"Ah, Ana..." He reached over and took her hand. "Don't expect so much so quickly. You've only started doing public reading for a couple of weeks. The people have to get used to it as much as you do."

"What do you mean?" Anastasia asked.

Elliot smirked. "You know what I mean."

Anastasia returned the look. "Mm, I'm not sure I do."

Elliot was about to respond when the drinks were served. He distributed the glasses between the two of them and took his down to halfway. The man could drink more than anyone else in the bar and not feel it for hours.

"What about you?" Anastasia asked, changing the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you've spent the last few months trying to get your publishing house started up. How's that going?"

"I just got the plans the other day and I still have more to do. Construction can be a crude business, hun."

Anastasia shook her head. "It took eight months to get your plans? Some architect."

Elliot raised his glass and downed the rest of his rum and coke.

* * *

After a very long search for a cigarette, Katherine Kavanaugh had finally managed to sucker a sailor into giving her one, of course after shacking up in the bathroom. He wasn't very good, but if it got her what she wanted, she was willing to play along. Then again, that's all Katherine ever did these days. Ever since she got married to a guy who hasn't been around in months, which really upset her. When she finally got sick of waiting for her husband to come home, she left her daughter in the care of her mother and jumped on the next train to Seattle.

The morning sky was a clear, cloudless blue and Katherine was anxious to get out there. She had not been to Seattle since she was a little girl, visiting her grandmother for the holidays, although the visits stopped when her grandmother got sick and passed away three months after Christmas.

When the train finally pulled into the station, Katherine quickly grabbed her coat and suitcase. When the train stopped, she rushed for the door and hopped off.

...

"Look, I have this project set for the fifteenth and so far, you have given me nothing," Elliot snapped at his architect. He had given Elliot another change in design of the house he was building and Elliot only had a couple of months to put it together for the owners who bought the property.

"I'm sorry, but wouldn't it look more sophisticated if we put it like that?" The architect demonstrated his example.

"No!" Elliot snapped louder than before. "I want -" He was interrupted when one of his workers approached him with a folded note. Elliot angrily unfolded the paper and read it. He cursed himself aloud and told his architect to fix the problem and took off towards the train station.

* * *

Elliot had just arrived at the station just as Katherine came bustling down the steps towards him. She smiled, showing she was happy to see him, but not enough to jump into his arms and kiss like a wife who craves the touch of her man. Her strawberry-blond curls bounced around her shoulders as she trudged her way to the last step. Elliot didn't seem very happy to see his wife himself, and he was wondering how long she was going to be around since her presence in town would no doubt interfere with his work.

"I thought you told me you couldn't live without me," Katherine says in an impassive tone.

"Where is our daughter?" Elliot asks.

"I chopped her up into bite-sized pieces and fed her to the cows," snapped Katherine.

Elliot wanted to laugh at his wife's mistake, but bit back the smile. "That wouldn't work since cows are vegetarian."

She shot him daggers. "You know what I mean, Grey." She dropped down onto the step and ran her long fingers through her hair. "And don't pretend like you want her here."

Elliot sits down with Katherine. "I always want her here, Kathy, but it's hard when I'm at work all the time."

"Oh, bite me!"

Elliot bit his tongue. Katherine had a right to be mad at him and he knew that, which is why he refused to argue with her about his whereabouts. There was no question how much he loved his wife, but sometimes she can be come too much and a man just needs to escape.

"Am I still the light in your life?" Katherine's tone had softened to something more tolerable. Elliot looked up into the beautiful green eyes he fell in love with years ago. He reached up to cup her face in one hand, ready to kiss her, when she spoke next.

"Got a fag?" _**(Fag = cigarette) **_

"I don't have any left, my love," Elliot responds before leaning over to lay his head on his wife's lap, enjoying the feel of her silk skirt. She started running her fingers along Elliot's back, which gave him goosebumps all over his body.

"So, where are we living, hun?" Kathy whispered hopefully.

Elliot sat up to see Katherine's face. "In a room."

Without a word, Katherine slapped Elliot across the face. She only ever did this to express her frustration or anger, but the gesture didn't really mean anything between them. It was reflex for her and he learned to take it since arguing would only make it worse, and he had no time for that.

"It's nice to see you're still in there somewhere," Elliot quipped.

"Drop dead!" Katherine shouted as she gathered her things and headed for the front entrance of the station. Elliot wasn't far behind her and he grabbed her suitcase and guided her towards his truck.


	2. Chapter 2

On her way down the empty street towards the poetry club, Anastasia was going over he most recent pieces and she was beginning to have second thoughts about sharing these ones, however, her feet kept moving without breaking stride. This happened every time she went to a reading: she would be ready when she left her apartment, she'd be halfway to her destination, and suddenly she'd want to turn around but never do so.

She was just around the corner from the club when she passed a tall, young man in a soldier's uniform but paid him no attention. At least not until he forwarded the courage to get her attention before she got too far away.

"Excuse me, miss," the young man said to Anastasia, stopping her mid-step. She turned look at him, really look at him. His hair was an unusual copper, his eyes were a piercing grey and his face was unlike anything she had ever seen before. It's like the angels had nothing on his beauty.

"Yes?" she spoke.

The man produced a folded cloth and held it out to her. "I believe you dropped this."

Now, Anastasia knew how pretty she was, but she never went around bragging about it. Everything she knew was all from the courtesy of her mother. She had many men attempt to get her attention by playing cheap tricks on her, this handkerchief trick being the most common one pulled. All she wanted to do was giggle at his efforts, but she didn't want to come off as mean and rude because Lord knew she was the complete opposite of that. If anything, she was flattered that such a handsome man would take notice to her.

"Um," she stifled a giggle. "That's not mine."

The man straightened but kept his hand out. "I'm sure I saw you drop this, ma'am." This man is too perfect that it's a wonder he's out at this time for women. Anastasia had the faintest idea that this man must either be in a relationship or married. Either way, she wasn't having it.

"I will give you one good reason why that is not mine," she said. The man waited for her to continue. "I don't carry handkerchiefs."

He smiled. "Then this trick isn't going to work."

Anastasia shook her head and offered a "nice try" smile.

"I have never done this before, so..."

Now Anastasia couldn't stop her giggle. "No," she says, "you've just never been caught before." She turned and continued on her way, neither of them saying another word.

...

It was after midnight when Anastasia arrived at the bar to meet Elliot. Her poetry reading went well, but a lot of guests were too drunk to listen, much less keep their eyes open while she read. She felt bad for even bothering to try and read tonight when she could have been reading one of her books at home soaking in the tub to kill time. But now here she is, sitting alone and feeling like an idiot.

She took a long drag from her cigarette just as a large hand ran around her back and the man it was connected to stepped into view. Her eyes widened and she blew the smoke in his face, clearly offended by the gesture. Without a word, the man walked away and thankfully Elliot was right behind him. Anastasia smiled with relief.

"You're late," she said to him.

Elliot shook his head, unimpressed. "Yes, because it's all _her _fault." He cocked his head to the side towards a woman beside him who Anastasia had never met before. She smiled at the unknown woman who stood there, twirling her now lanky strawberry-blond hair, looking tired and bored.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Anastasia asked her friend.

"The queen and love of my life, and the mother of my child," Elliot said as he lit a cigarette himself. "Miss Katherine Kavanaugh."

Anastasia's eyes widened with shock. In all the years that they have known each other, spoken to each other, Elliot never once mentioned he had gotten married, or even had kids for heaven's sake. Elliot knew much about Anastasia, but now she felt kept in the dark that he said nothing about his marriage.

"Y-Your wife, Elliot?"

Elliot's eyes shot up to meet Anastasia's as if to say, "I know, it's still a shock to me too," just before she stepped between them. She had a friendly smile on her face, but Anastasia could see that she's not so nice if rubbed the wrong way.

"I-I'm sorry," Anastasia was now speaking to Katherine. "He didn't mention a wife or -"

"No, he wouldn't, would he?" Katherine said, though nobody said a word in response.

Anastasia looked around the bar, trying to find some way to break the awkwardness of this evening's sudden turn of events. She looked from the group of sailor men in the dark corner of the bar, or the drunken women trying to find to take home. She looked around until her eyes wandered down to the purple blouse Katherine had been wearing since she arrive in town. She reached out and cautiously traces her forefinger along the shoulder, feeling the material.

"You made that, didn't you?"

Katherine smiled in admiration. "I might like you," she said. "But then again, I may not."

Anastasia smiled back. She took another drag from her cigarette before saying, "I guess I'll await your decision. I won't hold my breath."

"Have you got a nice little house we could share with you?" Katherine asked.

"Yes, you're looking at Seattle's newest homeless couple," Elliot chimed in.

Anastasia was shocked. "What happened to your room, Elliot?"

Elliot sighed, clearly frustrated. "Apparently, I missed my rent payment and I lost it." He angrily stubbed out his cigarette.

"Just a room," Anastasia said guiltily.

"Perfect," Elliot said. "We're condemned to your parent's," he whispered into Katherine's ear. At that moment, she took the opportunity to walk over and swipe a cigarette from between the teeth of a young man who has had his eyes on her since she walked in. Katherine Kavanaugh was definitely the type of woman who grew up knowing to take advantage of what you had.

While she was occupied, Anastasia whispered to Elliot. "So, that's your _small matter _of a wife?"

"Nothing will come between us," Elliot whispered back.

Anastasia bit her lip. "Don't," she warned.

"We will always be soul mates, Ana."

"Stop talking about me," Katherine said, announcing he return. "It's embarrassing."

Anastasia took that opportunity to stub out her cigarette and look between her friend and his wife. "There's a phone in the place where I'm staying. If you want me, Elliot's got my number." And with that, Anastasia collected her things and left.

...

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

The front door opened to reveal a handsome man standing in his robe, his grey hair pulled back. His face was wrinkling and his spectacles were hanging off the end of his nose. His look switched from expectant to dismay.

"Oh no," he muttered. "Darling, we have a surprise visitor and her husband."

A moment later, Katherine's mother came around the corner in her own robe and her expression matched her husband's. She stopped a couple of steps behind her husband and crossed her arms.

"What do you want, Katherine?" she said in a cold tone.

"Come on, mother, are you always going to treat me like this?" Katherine whined.

"Not until you apologize," her father said in his gruff voice that made him sound an angry Scotsman.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "It was twelve years ago!" she said in a loud voice. "When are you going to get it through your heads that that conversation was between Ethan and me?"

"It's because of that argument that I haven't seen my son ins twelve years," Katherine's mother choked out.

"Mother -"

"Katherine," her father spoke. He looked between her and Elliot for a moment, still considering his next words, which he didn't seem too happy about. "You are my daughter and I will never deny you help, but just know that you are still unforgiven."

Katherine nodded. She knew from years of experience not to argue with her father, unless you wanted to look foolish.

"Thank you, father," she said and looked to her mother. "Thank you, mum."

Her mother sniffled and nodded her head before disappearing up the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her, leaving everyone in an awkward silence.

"Come in," Katherine's father said, moving aside to allow them access. "You can have your old room." And with that, he shut the door behind his guests and followed his wife upstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Anastasia stood up on stage amongst the crowd for the third time this week and she was surprised to find that she had just about everyone's attention. Eyes stared straight up at her from as far as back as ten feet from the stage and she began to shake. She was used to everyone talking to the person next to them, not even paying a sliver of attention to Anastasia's poems, but now that everyone was waiting for her to speak, she wasn't sure she could any more. Her new-found confidence evaporated in an instant. At least until she happened to glance over to one of the tables to her right to find two familiar faces in the crowd.

Elliot and Katherine were sitting at a table near the stage, sipping drinks and smoking cigarette after cigarette, waiting like everyone for Anastasia to start reading. When she began, her nerves didn't feel so shaky and her speech started to form perfectly as she pronounced each word. It still made her nervous to know that dozens of eyes were watching her every move as she read, but she thought about the meaning of her poem.

When she finished, the crowd cheered and applauded her. Some men whistled, but all she could do was smile shyly, nod her head and step down from the stage. She slipped through the crowd to find her friends until she bumped into someone. She was about to apologize when she looked up into the grey eyes of the soldier who approached before. She was amazed and yet curious as to what this man was doing in this particular bar, but she didn't give herself any time to think about it because she was already rushing through the rest of the drunken crowd. She found Elliot and Katherine by the front door and relief washed over her like a tsunami.

"There you are," Elliot cheered. "I was getting worried."

"No need," Anastasia said. For some reason she found turning around to look for that strange man she ran into and found him chatting up a few other soldiers of the same uniform. The way his copper-coloured hair hung loose beneath the bill of his hat made him look so young. She could even see the way his dark uniform clung to his lean figure. It was unusual for Anastasia to consider running her hands over the body of any man since her real passion was writing.

"Ana?" It was Elliot's voice.

"What?" Anastasia responded.

"How about a drink over at _Fifty's_?"

Anastasia nodded and followed the other two out the door, but not before taking one last look behind her. This time, the young soldier was looking back.

...

At _Fifty's_, Anastasia, Elliot and Katherine were all seated at the bar, sipping their rums and laughing as Katherine regaled the two friends with stories Anastasia never knew involving Elliot's married life. There were so many things Anastasia never knew about Elliot, and yet, they were old childhood friends. It hurt her that he didn't say anything about getting married and having a daughter with another woman, but it was his life, what could she do?

What really intrigued her about Elliot's wife was the way she treated him and vice versa. One minute they loved each other and the next they were at each other's throats like two lions fighting over a carcass. It was brutal.

"I used to entertain men occasionally," Katherine said, changing her story.

Elliot rolled his eyes. "You do more than entertain men, Kathy," he joked.

Katherine turned to Anastasia. "I used to dance for an old friend, Anton Roberts, since I was starving." She sipped her drink. "My husband was never around to feed me."

"You were never hungry," Elliot muttered. Of course Katherine heard him, but she said nothing.

"I bet you've got nothing to top that, do you?" Katherine said to Elliot and Anastasia. Elliot shook his head in response.

Anastasia did the same. She reached over to grab a cigarette from Elliot when she glanced up and was shocked by what she saw. Or _who _she saw. The young soldier with the unique copper hair the and intriguing grey eyes who tried to ask her out. She was beyond surprised to find the man here, but at the same time she sort of expected it since the look he shot her as she left the last bar was enough of a hint that they would see each other again. She just didn't think it would be this soon.

"I think he's following me," Anastasia whispered to Katherine.

Katherine followed Anastasia's gaze to see the young man staring at the girl next to her. Katherine had to admit that she was impressed since Anastasia is so independent and focused on things that don't involve men.

"Lucky you," she said. "Watch this." She kicked off her shoes and walked towards the entrance.

People around her could see what she was trying to do and they all moved to make room for her. She bit her lip once and turned her back to everyone where she proceeded to do two back flips, receiving cheers and applause from men around the bar. She straightened herself up and smiled flirtatiously at the young gentleman, who seemed to be smiling back at her.

"You're embarrassing yourself, love," Elliot shouted over the other men.

"I'm wearing knickers, don't get yours in a twist," Katherine snapped back. She leaned her chin on the shoulder of the soldier who still had his eyes on Anastasia. "Looking for a couple naughty girls, are you?" she asked him.

The man didn't say a word. He turned to the three other soldiers he was drinking with and stepped closer towards Elliot and Anastasia. Elliot didn't seem too impressed by the man and he continued to look ahead and sip his drink like nothing was happening.

"Christian Grey," the man finally introduced himself.

Anastasia raised an eyebrow in suspicion and looked to her old friend. "Grey?"

Elliot sighed heavily. "Yes," he growled. "Anastasia, my brother Christian. Christian, my friend, Anastasia."

"In all the years I've known you you never mentioned having a brother," Anastasia said. First it was the missing wife, now it's the missing brother. She was wondering why Elliot was being so secretive with her, even after all the years they've been friends.

"Yes, well, we didn't adopt him until after your parents moved you to Seattle when you were eight." Elliot lit up a cigarette.

"It's not something we talk about," Christian interjected.

"You're damn right." Elliot picked up his glass and downed the rest of his drink in no time at all.

Christian walked around to his brother's other side and leaned against the bar beside Anastasia. She was trying hard to hide her blush, and it helped a little in the dim light of the bar, but it wasn't helping that Christian could see it no matter what how bright the room was. She took a drag off her cigarette before turning her head to look at him. As she did, their eyes met and in a split second, there an electric pull deep down in her stomach that made her feel immediately drawn to this stranger - this stranger who was Elliot's adopted brother - and she suddenly felt helpless. And yet, it's almost like she didn't care.

Christian smiled down at Anastasia. "I enjoyed your poem, Anastasia."

She wasn't sure how to feel when she heard that because ever since she started reading to people, she has never once received a compliment on anything she wrote. She gave the soldier a smile as a way of saying thank you without having to say it.

"I'll come again if I may," Christian whispered.

"It's a free world," Anastasia whispered back, trying to keep her voice steady. It was unreal how a person could make you feel so intimidated with the colour of his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

"All I'm saying is that I don't sway at the sight of a uniform," Anastasia informed Katherine while she was working on re-applying her lipstick. Katherine was using the facilities.

The stall door opened and Katherine appeared, walking over to stand at the sink next to Anastasia. "It was a simple question, Ana," she said. "I could have sent you after my husband for the hell of it, but I didn't."

"I just don't want to fall for a man who could end up leaving me at the sight of the next floozy."

"Well, given that the war is over, that could be better." Katherine finished washing her hands and turned to face Anastasia who was giving her an odd look. Before she continued, she waited for the other woman in the room to circle around her and exit.

"Either Christian could love you and leave you, or he love you die." When Anastasia didn't say anything else, Katherine added, "At least you'd know he was alive and not rotting somewhere in Europe."

"Not funny, Kate," Anastasia said glumly.

"Besides," Katherine continued, "who's talking about love? Aren't you lonely?" Anastasia just watched Katherine in the mirror, remaining silent. Katherine then turned to her friend and smiled. "Ah, you're one of those."

"One of what?" Anastasia asked.

Katherine grinned at her.

It took Anastasia a minute to figure out what Katherine was assuming. She felt her eyes widen with surprise at such a thought and she straightened. She wasn't sure if she should laugh or scold Katherine for offending her.

"God, no."

Katherine laughed. "For God's sake, not one of those. Although I'm not opposed to it." She examined her fingernails. "One of those who never got over their first love."

"That's not true," Anastasia said.

"No?"

Anastasia shook her head. "I've never had a first love to begin with."

...

After another few long hours of drinking and loud conversation, Christian offered to walk Anastasia home while Elliot and Katherine returned to her parent's. Christian was very patient as she said her goodbyes to his brother and Katherine. As they left, Anastasia retrieved her flashlight from her purse and switched it on as they stepped out into the dark chill of the night.

As the pair walked, they discussed their backgrounds. Anastasia had never been so curious about a person before, man or woman, and she couldn't help but ask question after question. She knew it was rude to pry into someone's personal life, but she simply wanted to know.

"Didn't your mother teach you anything?" Christian joked with her.

Anastasia playfully rolled her eyes. "All I wanted was -"

"To know more about me," he cut her off. "All in good time, Miss Steele."

"You say that as if you're sure we'll be seeing each other again," she said suspiciously.

Christian looked down at the woman beside him. He never met a person quite like Anastasia: poetic, articulate and hard to get to. Normally women fell over each other trying to score a date or a conversation with him, but not Anastasia Steele. She was one of the rare ones who didn't see him as a war hero, but someone who was worthy of love. Perhaps that's why he was falling so hard, so fast.

"Won't we?" Christian asked. "See each other again," he added when she didn't answer him.

Anastasia was speechless. The way he was looking at her gave her butterflies in her stomach all over again. These feelings were all so new to her and it was beginning to make her a little uneasy.

"Stop staring at me," she said, trying not to blush.

Christian smirked down at her, looked ahead of them and closed his eyes without breaking his step. He seemed to be moving forward a little faster than before and Anastasia had to pace to keep up with him. She followed him about twenty feet before she realized he was about to walk into a metal lamp post. She reached out for his arm and pulled him back, causing him to momentarily lose his balance and open his eyes. He smiled a little and caught hold of her elbows and they were once again facing each other, her blue eyes looking into his grey ones. The spark was still there and neither said a word.

"What have you got against me, Anastasia?" Christian said.

"Nothing," she said. She stepped back out of his reach. "I just...I just don't get attached." She turned around to see that they were standing outside her apartment building. She was relieved and wanted nothing more than to run inside, climb into the warmth of her bed and forget that this night happened.

Attachment had never been a part of Anastasia's plan in life. From the time she was able to read and write, she planned to go to school, get a job that could sustain her for a while until she managed to snag an opportunity to have her writing published. She always had the support of her best friend, Elliot Grey, and she was still getting over her nervousness that presented itself every time she walked up on stage to read her latest poem. Now since this man, Elliot's brother, walked into her life, her whole plan was thrown out of line. How is she going to go on with this plan if there is constant obstacle that is Christian Grey?

Anastasia put out her hand. "I'd like my light back, please, Mr. Grey."

Christian's jaw tightened and he swallowed as he realized that this night was coming to an end. Without another word he handed over the flashlight. Anastasia reached out to take it, but before Christian grasped her hand in his and kissed the back of it, never taking his eyes off of hers.

"It's been a pleasure, Miss Steele," he said before turning on his heel and disappearing into the night.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Kavanaugh residence, Katherine and Elliot made enough noise stumbling through the front door, drunk, to wake the entire street. Katherine was singing 'Over the Rainbow' at the top of her lungs, and very off key. Elliot was laughing at her attempts to vocalize Judy Garland's greatest hit, but it was enough to have Mr. Kavanaugh running down the carpeted steps in his robe, his eyes set on a target to kill. The inside of the house was black, but Mr. Kavanaugh didn't need light to know who was causing such a disturbance.

"What the devil is going on here?" Mr. Kavanaugh said in a loud whisper. His wife hadn't stirred at the noise and he was hoping she would remain that way. Lord help the people who got in her way when she didn't get her beauty sleep.

"_Sooooomewheeerrrreee..._" Katherine giggled. "_Over the raaaiiiinnnnbooow, way -_"

"Shut up," Mr. Kavanugh cut her off. "Do you two have any idea what time it is?"

Elliot laughed. "Did somebody miss their warm milk before bed?" he spoke to his father-in-law like he was speaking to a baby.

"Watch your mouth, son," Mr. Kavanaugh warned.

"Calm down, daddy," Katherine slurred as she leaned against the open front door.

All Mr. Kavanaugh could do was shake his head in disappointment as he watched his daughter and her worthless husband stumble around the foyer of his home, drunk out of their skulls and not boot them out. What kept him from doing so was that Katherine was his little girl and he loved her too much. Not to mention that he'd already lost one child years ago and he wasn't willing to let go of another so easily, no matter what happened. Although his wife might think differently.

"Get to bed, both of you," he said a little more calmly.

Katherine stumbled over to her father, kissed him on the cheek and lead the way up the stairs. With each step they took, the either lost their balance or they had to stop to laugh at nothing. Either way, it took the inebriated couple quite some time to get to their room. Mr. Kavanaugh was relieved to hear the bedroom door shut and the commotion was finally over.

...

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?" came a squeaky voice from downstairs, startling everyone in the house awake. Katherine, hungover, was surprisingly down the stairs a lot quicker than she had expected to be, behind her father and ahead of Elliot.

"What's going on, darling?" Mr. Kavanaugh asked his wife, who looked disgusted.

She gave her husband an "are you kidding me?" look. "Look at this mess!" She directed to the large puddle on the wooden floor by the front door. Everyone glanced at it and couldn't figure out what a puddle was doing there and what it was a puddle of.

"Somebody pissed all over my floor," Mrs. Kavanaugh squeaked again. She turned her mad eyes on her daughter and son-in-law, along with her husband.

"Why are you looking at us?" Katherine asked.

"You two were awfully drunk last night," Mr. Kavanaugh reminded them smoothly.

"What?" Mrs. Kavanaugh exclaimed.

Katherine and Elliot stayed silent.

"Whoever admits to doing this shall avoid all punishment." Mr. Kavanaugh folded his hands over his chest and looked between the couple.

Neither of them owned up to what they did right away, but everyone except Katherine didn't seem surprised when Elliot raised his hand, embarrassed. She stared at him, wide-eyed. She thought Elliot knew better than to do anything to disrespect her mother's home. Mrs. Kavanaugh valued her home and everything inside. All she could do was stare at her husband, bewildered and speechless.

"I couldn't make it to the bathroom," Elliot explained.

"But you could make it down two flights of stairs?" Mr. Kavanaugh said.

Elliot shrugged.

Mrs. Kavanaugh shook her head furiously and waved her hand at them. "Get out."

"What? Mom, no." Katherine's heart was breaking at the thought of losing her place to live, but mostly because it was her mother who was kicking her out this time.

"You two have done nothing but disrespect my home and take advantage of us."

"Darling," Mr. Kavanaugh voiced. "Let's talk about this, please. We've already lost Ethan, we can't lose Katherine too."

"This coming from someone who cannot stand her husband," Mrs. Kavanaugh spat and glaring at Elliot in distaste.

"That's not the same," Mr. Kavanaugh argued. "He's not my child."

"Regardless," Mrs. Kavanaugh said in a cooler tone. "I want you both out of here by tonight." Without another word or glance at her daughter, she walked away and disappeared up the stairs and into her room.


	5. Chapter 5

The Grey's spent many hours that day looking for a new place to live. They offered what money they had to rent a small room in a small building not far from Katherine's parents' house, but they were denied when the landlord admitted that the building was being condemned and the current tenants were being forced to move elsewhere. They walked another four blocks and found a shelter that offered vacancy. Unfortunately, there were two things wrong with that: there was only one room available, and the shelter was for women and children only.

The sun was slowly disappearing from the sky and it was beginning to get colder by the hour. Elliot and Katherine huddled together on a bench in the park. They watched as people walked by them without noticing them, going home to cook dinner and fall asleep in their soft, warm beds. Katherine had spent the entire day scolding her husband for losing the only place they had that didn't require payment. Oh, why did they have to go out and drink so much the night before?

Elliot startled Katherine when he shot up straight. "I have an idea." He took off towards the nearest phone booth and dialled a number into it. Three rings later a young woman with a thick Irish accent answered.

"Hello?"

"Yes, may I speak with Anastasia Steele, please?" Elliot asked politely.

"Hold, please." The line went quiet for what felt like an eternity before the line picked up again.

"Hello?" Anastasia's voice came through like an angel answering Elliot's prayers.

"Anastasia," he said.

"Elliot?"

"Who else, love?"

"Where are you calling from?" she asked, her concern evident in her voice.

"A phone booth." He noticed the hopeful look on his wife's face. "Katherine's parents kicked us out this morning and we need a home."

There was a long pause on Anastasia's end and Elliot knew her well enough that when she was asked something and she went silent like this, she was considering her answer carefully, but she always said yes. She always said yes to him.

* * *

Anastasia climbed up onto a chair she had sitting in the corner of her large, apartment-sized bedroom. The sun had completely disappeared from the sky and was helping Katherine set up a curtain along the door frame to separate her part of the room of the Grey's with a little lamp sitting beside their bed. The homeless couple arrived over an hour after Elliot made the call to Anastasia, and honestly, she was thrilled that wouldn't be on her own any more, especially at night when the room was dark and silent, reminding her of how lonely she was.

Anastasia wasn't fooling herself when she tried to convince herself that she wasn't falling for the handsome young man in the soldier's uniform. Since their walk back to her place, she failed to get thoughts of him out of her mind. His eyes shined like silver, his hair looked soft enough to run her fingers through, like touching feathers. The way the coat of his uniform hugged his body made her wonder what it really looked like underneath. Everything about that man was physically perfect and it was no wonder why women were literally falling for him everywhere he went.

Katherine, Elliot and Anastasia were all smoking cigarettes as the girls worked on evening out the room, while Elliot was sprawled out on his new double bed. It wasn't the comfiest mattress, but it was a bed and he couldn't argue.

"I meant to ask you," Katherine said to her friend. "Do you plan on seeing Christian again?"

Anastasia stood in silence, running her fingers over the scratchy wool material of the curtains as she thought about how she was going to answer Katherine's unexpected question.

"Come here, Ana," Elliot said just as she was about to open her mouth.

She looked down at the blonde hair, blue-eyed man she had known since childhood. Every time she had the chance she would take a minute to look at the person Elliot Grey had become from the little, dirty boy she knew growing up. He had become a handsome gentleman and she was proud that he had found his place in the world, with a woman he seemed...content with.

"Come over here and cuddle," Elliot added.

Anastasia took another drag from her cigarette and looked up at Katherine, who rolled her eyes.

"Go on," she said. "I sure as hell don't want him." She reached out for Anastasia's cigarette and continued hanging up the curtains.

Anastasia hopped on the bed beside Elliot and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him. She could hear his hear beating in his chest and the warmth of his skin felt nice since it was still cold outside from the April breeze. Elliot ran his hand up and down her arm, along the silk material that covered her sensitive skin.

"Don't ever change, Ana," he whispered to her. "As the star in my dark sky, don't you ever change."

Anastasia blushed. She had never heard Elliot say such romantic things to her before and it felt nice. Unfortunately, Katherine caught his words and immediately reacted. She jumped down from her stepping stool and took the cigarette from her mouth.

"What am I in your sky then, Elliot?" she snapped.

Anastasia laughed.

"You are on my earth," he said lovingly to his wife. "Right where I want you." He watched a blush appear on her own face before saying, "Come here, love."

Katherine climbed into the bed on the other side of Elliot and the three friends cuddled warmly on the bed. Silence fell immediately, and not one person was sure what to say next. That is, until Anastasia started laughing out of nowhere. She herself couldn't figure out what was so funny, but she kept laughing anyway. She looked from Elliot, who was smiling at her infectious laugh, to Katherine who had begun laughing.

"What?" Elliot asked. "What is it?" He got no answer. The girls continued to laugh like complete fools and it was beginning to get on Elliot's nerves.

For several minutes he tried begging them to tell him what could possibly be so funny that they weren't telling him, but all he got in response was more laughter and maniacal kicking from silent giggles. Eventually it became too much for Elliot to tolerate, so he climbed out of his spot between his wife and best friend and stomped along the creaky wooden floor towards the chair Katherine had been using to reach the top of the archway to hang up the curtain. He mumbled something that the two women could not understand and the irritated young man sat down on the chair, only to have one of the legs break under him, sending him flying backwards onto the floor which caused even louder laughter from the two women on the bed just a few feet away.

Elliot jumped to his feet and pointed to the women. "Keep laughing," he snapped before grabbing his coat and stomping out of the room.

...

When they stopped laughing, Anastasia and Katherine lay together in silence on the bed, looking out the window and thinking about their lives and what may come from the future.

"What is it like?" Anastasia asked. Katherine looked at her, confused. "To have a child."

Katherine smiled and shook her head. "Exhausting," she exclaimed. She lit up a cigarette. "Why? Are you thinking of having kids?"

"Not if I'm going to continue writing."

"Oh screw writing for a moment," Katherine said. "Don't you want a family?" It was an easy question for her to ask her friend, even though she had moments where she would have liked to go on with her life without holding the hand of a younger her all the time.

For a moment Anastasia was silent. "Perhaps one day."

"With Christian?"

The question caught Anastasia off guard. For a short minute she was unable to wrap her mind around even going on a date with the man, let alone have a family with him. She wasn't even sure she liked him enough to go out with him alone. Sure, he was smart and handsome, but was that really reason enough to fall for someone? Like everyone, Christian Grey was unpredictable and Lord knew what he was capable of. Being in love made Anastasia nervous, but sometimes that voice in her head begged her to take more chances.

Of course there was also her writing to consider. What if Christian wanted her to give up writing to take care of his children and wash his clothes? She was much too passionate about her words and what they meant to her rather than using them to express herself to a man who may one day decide she's not enough for him. Things do change, she knew that, but if it was a type of change that she had control over then there was no question what she would decide.

"No."

Katherine looked at her again. She smoked her cigarette and shook her head, not convinced.

"What?" Anastasia said.

"Nothing."

"No, what?" Anastasia said again.

Katherine said nothing and continued to smoke her cigarette into silence.


End file.
